AdMob doesnt respect Android cutout

[Mihailo G]

Admob doesnt go full screen on Android devices with the notch / display cutout.

For example on Android 8, Pixel 3 XL with the notch. 

So if the application supports the cutout, and is in full screen mode, there are holes on the side when ad is viewed (end card too) and user can see the game behind.

Basically quite bad user experience... :( 

We are using the latest 17.1.1 AdMob:

implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-ads:17.1.1'

implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-ads-lite:17.1.1'

Help? :) 

Example attached

[mobileadssdk-a...@google.com]

Hi Mihailo,

Thanks for reaching out to us. Our team is looking into the issue and we will get back to you once we have more information.

Regards,

Deepika Uragayala

Mobile Ads SDK Team

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Also find us on our blog and Google+ page:
    http://googleadsdeveloper.blogspot.com
    https://plus.google.com/115658573333388777174/
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[mobileadssdk-a...@google.com]

Hi Mihalio, 

We are aware of this problem and working on a solution. Thanks for reaching out. 

Jon

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Also find us on our blog and Google+ page:
    http://googleadsdeveloper.blogspot.com
    https://plus.google.com/115658573333388777174/
=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~

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[Mihailo G]

Hey Jon, any updates?

[Mobile Ads SDK Forum Advisor]

Hello Martin,

Thank you for reaching out to us.

Would you kindly send us a screenshot or picture of the issue you are experiencing? Also, would you kindly provide the SDK version you are using?
 

This message is in relation to case "ref:_00D1U1174p._5004Q2ojCw2:ref"

Thanks,
 

Mobile Ads SDK Team

[Martin Mlostek]

Hi,

here is a screenshot. On the very left you see that the status bar is transparent (we have configured our app total full screen) and the Ads are not covering the full screen.

[Martin Mlostek]

[Mobile Ads SDK Forum Advisor]

Hi Martin,

Thank you for responding back and providing a screenshot to further elaborate your concern. Please do note that the transparent bars totally normal. There is an instance that certain creative sizes might not fill the complete size of the view and in certain cases, there will always be padding/border/black or transparent bars which is part of the ad itself.

[Martin Mlostek]

Is it possible to extend the ads beyond the "safe" area?

[Mobile Ads SDK Forum Advisor]

Hi Martin,

Thank you for your response.

With regard to your concern, extending the ads in the safe area for both Android and iOS are not recommended as this might disobeying the policy. As per this policy article, the Ads interfering is when Google-served ads interfering with content or user interactions.

We do not allow Google-served ads that:

• overlay or are adjacent to navigational or other action items and may lead to unintended ad interactions,
• severely interfere with consumption of content including overlaying the content or pushing the content off the display,
• are placed on a "dead end" screen where the user is not able to exit the screen without clicking the ad. 

You may also check our policy and implementation guidance for more information.

[Martin Mlostek]

Okay, so how should we then handle AdMobs ads when our application is in full fullscreen via

<style name="AppTheme.NoActionBarLaunch" parent="Theme.SplashScreen">
<!-- Window background black, as in capacitor.config.ts-->
<item name="android:windowBackground">@android:color/black</item>
<!-- Set the Navigation Bar transparent -->
<item name="android:navigationBarColor">@android:color/transparent</item>
<item name="android:windowLightNavigationBar">false</item>
<!-- Set the Status Bar transparent -->. -->
<item name="android:statusBarColor">@android:color/transparent</item>
<item name="android:windowLightStatusBar">true</item>
<!-- Draw beyond cutouts / into safe area -->
<item name="android:windowLayoutInDisplayCutoutMode">shortEdges</item>
</style>

And

getWindow().setFlags(WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_FULLSCREEN, WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_FULLSCREEN);
WindowCompat.setDecorFitsSystemWindows(getWindow(), false);

Is is possible to bring back the nav bar and status bar when the ad is shown, and hide it again when the ad is hidden?

[Mobile Ads SDK Forum Advisor]

Hi, 

Thank you for getting back to us.

For us to further check this behavior, it would be best if you could provide a project instead, so we could have full visibility in your implementation as well. You can send it via “Reply privately to author” option.

[Martin Mlostek]

Was anybody able to resolve this problem?

[Martin Mlostek]

I have uploaded the project to the given URL (I cant find the private message anymore, no idea where I have to "reply to author", so I am pasting the message here)

Hello, 

you can find the project attached link that was send me via email. 

You just need to run the application in a country where GDPR is required (Europe) or simulate the location via https://developers.google.com/admob/android/privacy#force_a_geography and enter your device ID in the file "UserAdConsent" line 39. Just replace <ADD YOUR DEVICE HASH HERE> with your device hash in order to get the Consent dialog showing up. 

You also need to run it on a device with a cutout for the camera (Such as a Samsung S22). You will not see the issue with a device without display cutouts. 

Once everything is running on such a device, you will see the following. (The green arrows are painted in by me to highlight the problem.) 

The problem is, the darkening overlay between the GDPR popup and the background is not filling the screen completely. (Actually the same happens with some Ads, but I this is 100% reproducible, while the scenario with the Ads is more random)

Can you please tell me on how to fix this problem? This is really hurting the user experience as the app does not look very polished.

Thanks

P.S. This is how the issue looks like